Moonglade
by The Aura King
Summary: The moonlit night had cast many into madness, yet one stands strong. He has slain countless, yet cannot acquire what he seeks. Even peace eludes him, in this world where gods tread.
1. Prologue

Authors note: I'd like to thank my Friend Reece for looking over my work and helping me out with this.

* * *

The Dream was death - never-ending.

Whenever Gehrman had taken his head, he would awaken in the real world to see the sun only to find himself dragged back into the nightmare.

This was the sixth time he's gone through this hell, and all he wanted was for it to stop.

He found the workshop ablaze, yet dismissed it when he turned his attention to the doll. Even as the dream crumbled around her she stood there serene like and calm like someone who knew it would be okay. Clad in her black dress, cloak, and bonnet, she stared at him with half lidded eyes. There was a spark in them. It was the kind someone had when they knew something you didn't.

He knew what she would say to him. It hadn't changed the last five times he's gone through this. But something told him it would be different this time. Either the insanity had broken him or the hope he lost returned.

She waited until he got close before speaking. "Good hunter, you have come," Her voice was light as if she had just woken up. "Dawn will soon break and this night, and this dream, will end." She pointed to the gate that was normally kept closed. "Gehrman awaits you at the foot of the great tree. Go on, good hunter…" That was all she had usually had to say. But the moment he turned away he heard her say something new.

"You can escape from the dream. But, you must decide to live or die one more time. For this can be the final hunt if you choose right, Bell Cranel..."

Bell Cranel. It had been so long since he heard anyone call his name. It was usually just hunter or the good hunter by the stable individuals he came across. He had forgotten it several times till a few ask for it. Then it would come to him, similar to calling your dog.

This was new; she never said anything like this before. What brought this change? Was it something he did different this time around?

Walking past, he gave her a nod and went to meet Gehrman.


	2. Awakening

A/N: I'd like to thank my friend DocHoliday0316 for betaing my chapter

* * *

It hurt so much. His body ached and groaned as he got up. Everything was a blur as he tried to balance himself out. It felt like his entire body had gotten torn apart and reattached.

Finally, the strength he sought answered his calls and allowed him to stand.

"Where am I, he asked, his voice sounding rough and raspy. Looking around, he found himself in a forest. This wasn't anywhere near the Forbidden Woods. The area contained lush trees, vibrant grass and a creek that flowed through the trees.

"That is a good question, Hunter," a squeaky voice said.

"Who's there?" he said as he looked around. Nobody else is in the area but him.

"Look down hunter."

He did and was shocked by the sight.

It was the Doll, his constant companion in the Hunter's Dream. Except she was tiny; about six inches tall. The height difference was staggering compared to her previous stature. He couldn't believe the Doll was here with him, she never left the Hunter's Dream. Crouching down, he picked her up off the ground to get a better look at her.

She no longer possessed jointed fingers and instead had human hands. In fact, she looked completely human. Except shrunken down and with larger eyes.

"Is, is that really you," he asked, tears threatening to fall loose.

"Yes it is," she answered with a nod.

"How are you here? You've never left the dream before." he said, standing up.

"You brought me here when you abandoned the dream," she replied, as she sat in his hand.

"Abandoned the dream? What do you mean?"

"It seems that after you left, you have forgotten. If you wish to remember, then you must make the memories return."

He was about to question what she meant, but took a moment to think about her words. A part of him could not understand her words, and another did as whispers in the back of his mind began to appear. Suddenly, the memories returned in a rush.

He remembered his choice, the fight with Gehrman, and the Moon Presence.

What got his attention was memory of after the fight. The way his body tried to change sent phantom pains throughout his body.

"What happened to me after I killed the Moon Presence? Something happened to me."

"You were ascending into a great one," she said, "but you realized something was wrong and rejected the change. Your subconscious deemed it a threat to your goal."

"And why are we in a forest?"

"You are the one who brought us here," she said with a shrug.

"Great. Now where do we go?"

"While you were out, I explored the area. There appears to be a town nearby," she said, pointing where she last saw it.

"Okay, lets get out of here."

Turning to the forest, he followed his friend's directions, and the whispers faded into the background.

* * *

Loki was not having good day so far. Her Familia had returned from a successful raid in the dungeon, and they planned to celebrate at the Hostess of Fertility. It was going all so well.

Then a Tribunal was called.

She was nervous when it was announced. A Tribunal hadn't been called for decades, and it's always bad news when one is.

And this time it was. A Great One was loose on the world, and nobody had a clue where it was. All the gods are on high alert because of it, and she's stressed out.

Now she was drinking away her sorrows with some glorious soma. She'd wake up with a hangover, but it would be so worth it.

But damn it, why was one of those abominations running around?

Bah! All this thinking was ruining the soma. She went back to her drinking until darkness took her.

* * *

He wasn't sure how long he walked through the trees, but he wasn't gonna complain one bit. The trees were covered with green leaves; their barks were a healthy dark brown. The opposite of the decayed ones he saw in and around Yharnam, as their twisted trunks and clawed branches reached toward you as if trying to steal the life from you.

He couldn't help but tense, as the shadows around him grew larger and things started to move in the corner of his vision. His hands grasped for weapons that weren't there, as adrenaline started to course through his body. He was ready for the beasts to jump out of the darkness, to try and take his life and sate their hunger. He was almost too gone to hear his friend's worried cries, but something in him snapped back into place.

"…unter? Hunter!" Doll yelled, shaking him out of his thoughts. He looked to see her on his shoulder, she looked terrified. Was it for him? Or was it because of him…

"I'm alright Doll," he said, trying to alleviate her fear.

"You're not alright it looked like a panic attack."

He couldn't look at her. It hurt admitting that she was right about it. He was so fucked up that not even the gods could fix him. There was very little that could help him even begin to recover.

"Hunter. Please look at me," she said, her voice ached with pain.

Turning, he felt her tiny hands on his face.

"I am here for you. If you need someone to talk to I am here for you, remember that."

"You're right, I completely forgot." he said, "You've always been there for me whenever I needed someone to talk to."

"That's right," she said with a huff.

They continued their way through the forest, enjoying each other's company until they found themselves at the edge of it.

The town she mentioned was surrounded by a tall wall that encircled by a large wall with a gate from what he could see. But the tall tower had his complete attention, he knew where they were.

"This isn't a town, this is a city."

She looked him with curiosity.

"You know where we are, don't you?"

"Yes. This is the Dungeon City Orario."

"The one from the stories you shared with me?"

"Yes."

Nothing more was said as he walked over to the road and down to the city.

He could remember the dreams he once had when he left his home town. To be an adventurer like the stories his grandfather told him. Now, he wasn't sure. Maybe he could get a job or something here.

The gates were more impressive the closer they got. A display of the city's wealth and power was put into the making the walls. They were several stories high and created an imposing appearance.

The inside of the city was much different. It was full of people and various stalls

Memories flashed as he caught sight of the various Beast Humans. They reminded him of the beasts of Yharnam. He remembered cutting them down the moment they crossed his path. The whispers that lurked in the back of his mind came alive, the power of a Great One tempting him with knowledge he didn't want of what he could do to these lower life forms.

Slinking into an alley way he composed himself and forced the whispers back.

"Are you okay Hunter?" his companion asked.

"Repressing some memories I'd like to forget."

Her silence told him she wanted to say something, but she withheld.

He went down the trash-littered alley until he exited into a less populated street. For the next hour or so, he was not sure of where they went. They simply took in the sights of the city for now.

* * *

She wasn't sure of what to make of the situation with the hunter. Both of them had escaped the dream into the waking world, something that surprised her as she never believed she could leave. Sure, being reduced to less than a foot tall annoyed her, but she and the hunter were together.

Bell Cranel, or the Good Hunter, was someone who caught her interest. He was one who refused to break after all he went through, and still continued onwards. No matter what torture the Moon Presence force him to endure, he refused to bow and slayed it in retaliation.

Now, they wandered through a town in the waking world, free from the confines of the Dream. But all was not well; she could see it on what little face he left exposed. His mind waged war with the instincts he developed as he slaughtered his way through Yharnam and the surrounding areas. He wanted to cut, kill and dismember all that got near him. He almost did until he regained control of his instincts.

Should he have, then their exploration of the waking world might but cut short.

Still, the sights and sounds were so interesting. The dream was never this vibrant. Taking in the sights, she was sadden that the Hunter could not enjoy them as well. Too jaded and forced to adapt to the monstrosities that lurked within the dream. It was impossible for him to enjoy the sights now. Maybe with time, he could. But for now, she would be the support he needed.

* * *

It was strange. Never had he been around so many people without them trying to kill him. It went against everything he learned and taught himself. He wanted to let loose and cut them down, even though they hadn't done anything. So he clamped down on his instincts and moved onwards.

He could tell that Doll was enjoying the sights from the way he caught her eyes brighten up as she took it all in. It was a novelty to witness the ever calm doll light up at the new things.

But now he has another problem, funds. He didn't fancy himself sleeping on the cold ground or in a tree of all things; maybe he could find a job or something…

He was pulled out of his thoughts when someone grabbed his arm and spoke to him.

"Excuse me, sir."

It came from behind him, and it took all the restraint he could muster from lashing out at the voice.

Slowly turning, the one who spoke was a young girl who wore a white blouse and a leaf-colored knee-length long skirt. She also had on a long apron around her waist. She had grey hair with a blue tint pulled back.

She reached out and held a colored stone in her hand.

"You dropped this sir."

"It's not mine," he muttered, and turned away.

"W-wait a minute I'm sure it's yours," she insisted, "here."

She tried to shove it into his hands until something cold and metal was place next to her head. She froze as she saw his gun pressed against her. He was surprised his gun just appeared in his hand, but he wasn't going to question it.

"I said it's not mine."

He was about to back away when he caught something fly at him from the corner of his eye. Jumping back he heard something hit a piece wood with a loud thunk. He recognized the sound as a knife hitting wood and pointed his gun from where the knife came from.

It came from an entrance of what looked to be some sort of business. There were a bunch of girls wearing uniforms similar to the silver haired girls. In the center was a tall woman wearing the same outfit, but in blue. She wore her brown hair back in a ponytail. Her arm was outstretched, showing that she was the owner of the knife.

"Can I help you," he asked.

* * *

Mia Grand wasn't sure of the individual standing before her. When someone said Syr was being threatened, she raced into action along with the rest of the girls. She grabbed a knife and the moment she got a view of the one threatening Syr, she threw it. The man dodged it and turned his weapon to her.

It was a strange thing; it looked like a crossbow except it had a pipe instead of a mounted bow.

Then he spoke.

"Can I help you?"

He was very young, yet his voice seemed tired like he wanted to rest, but never had the option. Breaking out of her thoughts, she responded.

"Yeah you can. Mind telling me why you're threatening one of my employees?"

He looked to Syr and back to her.

"She was trying to force me to take a magic stone that wasn't mine. Kept saying I dropped it even when I said it wasn't mine. I wasn't gonna allow her to push me around so..."

She grimaced; Syr must have tried one of her plans to convince him to eat here. It's not the first time she's done it, but this is the first time anyone threatened violence to make her back off.

"I'm sure she was certain it was yours. After all, aren't you an adventurer?"

"No," he said and he shook his head.

"We have only entered the city a few hours ago."

Wait a minute, we? Who is this second person? It's just him.

Then she noticed something move on his other shoulder. She couldn't tell what it was due to the way he was standing. He then turned a bit allowing them to see.

It was a Brownie; a small spirit that kept various homes clean. It was a small girl wearing a dress; the kind that little girls make their dolls wear. They were rarely seen to begin with and this guy has one sitting on his shoulder. So he must have done something to get her out into the open.

"I believe we should all calm down," the Brownie said. Her voice was squeaky, though she should have expected that. Most spirits her size had voices like that.

As soon as she finished he lowered his weapon and holstered it without question. It seems she has his trust if he backed down that fast.

Now that she had a moment she got a good look at him. His outfit was strange, to say the least. He wore a gray overcoat with a high collar over a shirt with many buckles. He wore a pair of worn pants and knee high boots with an interesting design, one that matched the gloves on his hands. On his head was a ragged tricorn cap with feathers and a scarf on his face that left only his eyes exposed.

It was definitely an odd outfit for anyone, adventurer or civilian in her opinion.

"Your friend's right. I apologize on behalf my employee; she had gotten a bit too eager it seems." She sighed scratching the back of her head. "As an apology I'd like to offer a meal on the house."

They looked at each other and after a moment of silence nodded.

"Alright, we accept."

'At least something was going right today,' she thought as she led them inside.


	3. Intrigue

A/N: Again I'd like to thank my friend DocHoliday0316 for betaing my chapter. Check out his works

* * *

The place was simple yet felt extravagant. He chose a seat at the bar with doll sliding down and sitting down in front of him. They watched as Miss Mia went to work immediately, as if nothing was wrong. The girls followed her lead. There were two sets of eyes watching him, one from the girl named Syr and one from a green haired girl. He dismissed them from his mind and looked at the meu with Doll. He eventually decided to share a steak and small salad. The waitress then wrote down his order.

"Okay just give me a few minutes and your meal will be ready, Mister…"

"Bell, Bell Cranel. My companion, the Doll, calls me the Good Hunter," he replied. It was nothing much, but it answered her question without giving too much away. Doll bowed politely after being mention.

"Bell then. The name's Mia Grand, but people call me Mama Mia," she said as she went off to work.

The dinner past by quickly, and the meal was quiet between the two. The only thing strange was the sets of eyes watching him, but he dismissed them from his mind. Once they finished, they left after paying their thanks to Mia, and made their way out of the restaurant.

"That was an interesting experience." He said.

"Yes it was, and the food was incredibly tasty," Doll said with what sounded like excitement, "Could we return some time later Good Hunter?"

"Maybe, but that depends on if I can get a stable job," he said sardonically.

The Doll's silence confirmed that she knew what he was getting at. The torture he went through in Yharnam was enough to drive anyone insane. But through thick and thin, she would stay be his side, and that was one thing he knew for certain. Together, they would face whatever came at them.

* * *

The first few floors of the dungeon were boring as a scream tore through the air and was silenced soon after.

Bell wasn't sure why he was wasting his time with these small fries, but it had to do with that annoyance at the guild freaking out. So what if he didn't have a Familia?

Cleaving the head off of another imp-like creature, he made up his mind. He was going to dive deeper in hopes of finding tougher prey. This was almost insulting to hunt here, damn what that half-elf said about it being safe and perfect for a beginner like him. Looking over, he saw Doll was just as bored with her dull expression.

Once he collected all of the magic stones, he made his way to the stairs, and dove deeper into the dungeon. But the more he descended, the more he felt like there was something in the back of his mind, encouraging to keep going. It had been a constant annoyance ever since he had arrived in this city. But now, he'd have a chance to find out what it was trying to tell him.

That feeling was now blaring as he arrived on what he assumed was the twenty-third floor. The feeling of something in the air was one he recognized.

A Great One.

How one was here in the waking world baffled him, but he knew what he needed to do. In the words of Eileen, "A hunter must hunt".

Scouring the floor proved fruitless as the Great One has hidden itself quite well. But something was off; there were no monsters on the floor and he could sense a human somewhere on this floor beyond the walls and paths. Making his way through the floor, he arrived at the closest point to the life source.

It was a dead-end, but something was odd about it. He could make out foreign Caryll Runes inscribed into the walls and floor. The energy coursing through them twisting and distorting the space inside them that only one actually looking might notice.

Walking forward, the runes glowed and a swirling vortex appeared. It honestly reminded him of the ones that the Amygdala used. Steeling his nerves, he and Doll entered the portal and vanished from the dungeon.

* * *

Mashu was having a terrible day. From getting lost in the dungeon, to getting chased by a horde of monsters, it was turning out to go horribly.

But then she stumbled upon some portal, and ended up in a cavern filled with water. Spires of stone jutted out of the water and glowed with an eerie light. The sounds echoed all around, confusing her.

Then something moved in the corner of her eye. She brought her massive cross shaped shield to bear. Its massive size blocked the strike from her unknown assailant. However, the force was far more than she expected, sending her flying through a pillar and into a cave wall. Gritting her teeth, she moved her shield to get a look at the one to attack her.

It was a buxom woman covered in torn rags, barely covering the top her chest. It spread from the top of her chest to cover her arms and most of her face, leaving her mouth, nose and an eye exposed. It covered the side of her upper legs and just granted a shred of decency. In her hands was a pole-arm with a large blade at her end.

But what got her attention wasn't its corpse blue skin, but it was the creature's exposed eye. It was a solid orange surrounded by a sea of black, a dead gaze that stared at her without a hint of emotion. The longer she stared, the more she felt her mind get torn apart. Like just staring at this creature would drive her mad.

It soon moved towards her, dragging her glaive across the watery floor like she wasn't even trying. To be fair, it wasn't.

She was weak and she knew it. Her shield was only good for blunt attacks and even then, it was clunky and unwieldy. But now it was her only possible means of surviving this. Moving the shield in front of her, she waited for the impact to come, but it never did. Only the clash of two blades ringing through the air responded.

Peeking from behind her shield, she saw a man engaging the creature. Wielding what looked like a metal cane, he dove into straight into the monster's personal space and began leaving massive gashes throughout her body, tearing at its flesh and causing blood to spray like a fountain.

The hope that was building up inside her was soon quickly dashed. The monster began to regenerate from its wounds. Flesh reattached and muscle and skin restored itself as the monster jumped back and stared down at the stranger. His jacket and hat were soaked in the creature's blood. He held his cane like a sword, and showed no fear in facing the creature. Immediately, they charged each other and entered a deadlock. Their blades were pressed against each other with what she believed to be snarling expressions. The damage began to take its toll and darkness took her, he last thoughts wishing the stranger good luck.

* * *

He knew what this creature was the moment he caught sight of her. He also knew what he needed to do. But first, he needed to force her away from the girl.

Pressing her further, he forced her away from the girl as they clashed blades. He noticed that Doll had hopped off his shoulder as he forced her away. She probably went to go and check on the girl.

Regardless, he kept his attention solely on the great one in front of him. With that glaive, she has a much greater reach than his cane. Then there's her regeneration…

Even his healing doesn't regenerate that fast. Hell, the Cleric Beast and Vicar Emilia had to stand still to recover. But this was just a minor inconvenience. Any predator can be cut down. It just takes a bit more effort.

All he had to do was keep on _**CUTTING**_ _._

* * *

As the good hunter lead the Great One away Doll made her way to the young woman it was about to kill. She was banged up but rather unharmed for an encounter with a Great One.

Looking back in the direction the Good Hunter and the Great One went she wished him well.

* * *

AN: It's a bit shorter than I liked but I wanted to cut off here. I was planning on working on my other ideas but I was inspired a bit by the reviews and decided to continue it. But after this chapter I'm thinking of working on my other fic ideas. Another thing to note, I will be borrowing bosses and such from other fandoms and game series. If you have any suggestions for Bosses and such PM me them or leave them in a review. There's no guarantee they will be used though. I'll be back with another chapter some other time.

Links for images of Chibi Doll and the great one will be posted on my SpaceBattles Account version for those interested.

By the way this Mashu Exists in the Danmachi verse. she's based on Her FGO counterpart but she's her own character. there won't be many other fandom characters brought in, or rather made to fit the danmachi world

I decided to remove the poll for now. i recieved a pm that gave me a much better idea and it will be back once i get a prologue of each of the ideas i have out. then you can properly decide which one to vote for.


	4. Hunting

I was listening to "Arrival of the Undead King" from the anime Overlord and a few other osts while writing this. It inspired a glorious battle scene I hope to reciprocate.

Thanks to Docholiday for beta-ing this chapter. Check out his work!

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The clashing of blades was the only thing that echoed throughout the cavern as he and the Great One fought, his threaded cane versus her glaive. The very air shuddering at the force of their attacks, as the stalactites that hung from the ceiling fell to the damp cave grounds.

He could tell with a single glance that she was looking down on him. She knew what he was and still dismissed him like a bug. That infuriated him for some reason that he couldn't understand. Was it the pride he developed as he climbed his way up through the nightmare, no matter how much harder it got? As much as he hated admitting it, it was a part of him. Something he wouldn't be able to change no matter what.

The situation began to take a turn for the worse as she began swinging faster and harder, forcing him to either dodge or have hunks of his body carved out. Pulling out his blunderbuss, he fired just as she finished pulling back a strike and lurched as the buckshot struck hard. Dashing in before she recovered, he performed a motion he was long familiar with.

Blood and torn entails spewed out from the gaping hole in her body as she screeched in agony. Clambering back, she began to heal while swinging her Glaive in wild abandon in order to fend him off. But he wasn't letting this opportunity to slip by him as he slipped past her attacks. The moment she looked up at him, she found a good view of the barrel of his gun.

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Pain was all that filled her as her opponent's weapon blasted her in the face. It sent her flying across the cavern, aggravating the already massive wound immensely. This wasn't supposed to be happening! This newborn whelp should be the one sprawling at her feet, not her!

She could tell he was one, who was only born recently and was just coming into his own powers. What irked her was that he chose to take upon a human form and not create one to suit his new station. She could taste the humanity that echoed around his existence. One that his essence clung to tightly, refusing to let go for a second. But that mattered little, he was interfering with her playtime. Very rarely could she lure one of the god's pets down to her lair since they always travel in groups. But once in a while, the boisterous and foolish got a little cocky and go running ahead of the group. Oh, the despair on their faces when they wander into her home is so wondrous. But now, her fun is being ruined by this upstart punk who want to take over. She couldn't have that.

Feeling that most of her wounds were almost recovered, she slammed her weapon into the ground. It created a smokescreen and a shockwave to buy her some more time. That gun did a massive number on her eye, and she knew the moment he got a chance, he'd target it again. All she needed to do was to by her time, and show this upstart why you don't mess with the queen's Executioner.

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Keeping his eye on the dust cloud, he decided that letting her make the next move would be a wise choice to make instead of rushing in blindly, only to get impaled or cut up.

He knew something was up. Her presence reeked of a Great One but something was off. He felt like she should be a Kin. But one thing contradicted this feeling: her blood was red. All Kin bled a pale yellow fluid.

So either she's a Great One that merged with a Kin, or something more frightening… She was a Kin that was ascending to become a true Great One.

He had to kill her, there was no other choice. A method for Kin to become Great Ones was a mess that he couldn't leave alive.

Taking a look around at their latest battle ground, he noticed that the area was a round circular chamber which was different than the area he found himself in. The architecture was similar to the buildings of Yharnam. Unlike Yharnam, the architecture here was brighter, as glowing white vines crawled along the surface of the walls and ceiling. The glowing vines created a different mood than the damp caverns they were in earlier, as they illuminated the area in a white glow. But a growling hiss forced his attention back to the thinning cloud of dust.

His opponent was making her way out of the cloud, dragging her Glaive along. Its blade was cutting its way through the stone, leaving a shallow gash behind it. The ringing of the blade as it carved its way through the stone sent an ominous warning. This blade could easily cleave through flesh and bone just as it did to that stone.

Then it ceased as she ended her stride and stared at him, shouldering her massive weapon.

"You have a lot of nerve… Entering my home and ruining my fun," she said.

"So you can talk, that's a first," he responded, eyes wide at her speaking. Never before, had he encountered a sentient Great One capable of talking. "I haven't met one that bothered to learn a lesser creature's language."

"Humph, I have no need to speak such a language anymore. It is beneath me, but you are an exception child," her words confirmed his fears, "You have not only trespassed into my home, but you have interrupted the first toy to play with in over several years! This was the most fun I have had in so long! Then you show up and ruin it!"

He said nothing as he digested her words before she rushed at him.

With her glaive swinging through the air with enough force to make the air tremble and scream, he retreated a fair distance away. He whipped out his sword to the side as he waited for his opponent to rush at him. He wasn't disappointed, as she used the momentum from her swing to launch herself up and over to him, refusing to let him get any distance. It was also to keep as much pressure on him as she could, just like Ludwig did before he gained any thought of his own and acted like a feral beast. He could work with this.

Jumping to the side as she impaled her weapon into the ground, she caught him off guard when she continued to use her momentum to swirl around her impaled weapon. She then brutally kicked him in the chest, launching him into the wall with enough force to imbed him a foot deep into the rock walls. The force of her kick reminded him of the time he got kicked by one of Lugwig's back legs at full force. Dazed from the force, he shook his head and looked up. He was greeted by the glaive attempting to impale his face. Quickly delving into his arcane repertoire, his body was shrouded in fog and he rushed past the Great One as she impaled the wall in her charge. He did not pass this chance up he returned to normal and swung his cane at her exposed back.

Blood flew free as his blade hit home, but it was bittersweet as he received a backhand to his face in retaliation. His skull fractured from the force of the blow, and the moment he regained his footing, he felt his chest cave in as she sent a brutal front kick at him, once again embedding him in into another part of the wall. 'Was this gonna be a trend?' he thought, 'Probably'.

Delving into the arcane once again, he called upon the art of quickening and moved behind his opponent and reared his cane back. Quickly thrusting forward, his cane stabbed straight through his opponent, causing her to scream out in pain. But he wasn't done yet as he twisted his cane in a motion that released the weapon's bindings. Then he pulled back.

Blood flew as her insides were shredded as the jagged edges cut their way out, her screams of agony echoing throughout the cavern. But he wasn't done as he swung the transformed cane and wrapped it around her arm, the jagged edges finding purchase on her exposed flesh. Once again. he pulled and blood and flesh flew through the air and the cane made mince meat out of her flesh.

He was about to swing again, but an aura of energy burst from her and sent him reeling back. The force of the energy caught him off guard. The aura whipped around like vicious snakes trying to bit and tear at what was within reach.

Jumping back from the storm of energy, he readied his cane and gun in preparation for round two. Because if there's anything he's learned is that all these fights against Great Ones, they always had a phase two of some sorts. Usually, that was followed by him dying quite painfully and/or gruesomely as possible. He still had nightmares from fighting Ludwig and the Orphan of Kos.

The storm died down and revealed his quarry staring at him with her eye glowing balefully. Her flesh like armor had become plate metal with jagged blades jutting out at irregular intervals. Her body was releasing an aura that resembled a bloody mist, and her glaive had grown larger with jagged edges.

Her body stiffened and he did the same until a shock ripped through him with his opponent losing her balance. The pocket dimension felt emptier for some reason, but who could have…

"‼" It hit him like the Cleric Beast's backhand to the chest. The girl and Doll, they must have left the pocket dimension while he kept the Great One distracted.

The scream of fury brought his attention back to his opponent, only to feel pain coursing through his body as he was slammed into the wall with the glaive impaling his body.

 _ **"StAy HeRe WhIlE I gO HuNt DoWn ThE gIrL aNd YoUr PeT."**_ Her words seeped into his head and were like the screeching howl of a beast right into his ears, bringing silence to the world as she ran off after Doll and the girl.

"S-shit," He was losing blood far more than he could replace it and his strength was failing him. He had taken wounds far worse, but he could tell he was dying… and this was different. Death was taking him when he had fought on after taking beatings far worse than simple impalement, yet his body refused to respond.

Was this a result of her power boost or something different? Though he wondered, would he even come back?

There was no dream to return to, no lamp to resurrect at, and no guarantee he would even resurrect at all.

This might be the end. What's the point in struggling against a monster like her? This isn't like the dream where he can just try again. He was a fool to think he was the biggest fish in the pond here.

This was it…

…

..

.

 **!**

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Doll was worried for the Good Hunter, but he always pulled through in the end. So she decided to remove her and the girl from the lair. She was stuck until she put the girl in the shield and decided to carry it out. Despite her small size, she was more than able to lift the shield and the girl. Was this a carryover of her bond with the Good Hunter? She would have to discuss this with him later.

Though she did worry about him falling, for there would be no return.

The dungeon was as lifeless as it was when the two of them first entered the floor. An after effect of the Great One setting up her lair it seems. The dungeon was a strange place, even when compared to the Dream and the Nightmare. It was both alive and not alive. A living contradiction, it was both a place and a being.

That would explain why the creatures are so hostile to the adventurers, they were intruders in its body and the dungeon wanted them dead or gone. Though if that were the case, then why were the lower reaches of the dungeon far more guarded than the upper ones? Wouldn't it be more effective to send a massive force up the dungeon? There's only so much the gods and goddesses against an army of monsters.

Her thoughts were disturbed when the dungeon shook, no, it trembled. Was it fear, rage, or something else that the dungeon felt? Was it a titan whose footsteps made the dungeon floor tremble in its might? Whatever it was, it was getting closer and closer like a beast on the hunt, trailing after the wounded prey through the blood in the air.

Her world turned upside down as the wall exploded with the fury of a raging beast. The girl and her shield were launched out of her grip as her body met the opposite wall. She grit her teeth as a pain coursed through her tiny body. An icy chill ran down her spine as she saw the one who burst through the wall.

It was her…

She had heard of the tales of some of the Hunter's tougher adversaries changing appearances mid battle, but seeing was believing as they say…

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She finally found where the little insect scurried off with her toy. Oh, she would enjoy this far more than she should.

Seizing the bug in her grasp, she began to crush its throat, its little hands clawing at her hand in a desperate struggle. Oh, the despair in its eyes was so delicious, never had she felt such a raw emotion from a victim. They usually died from their wounds before she could enjoy it. But now with two toys intact, she can enjoy herself to her extent-

A pressure fell onto her shoulders; it was like the world was trying to crush her under its weight. It was forcing her to her knees and made her drop the bug. What was causing this? A glance told her the bug was affected as well, so it wasn't from her, but who could it be….. No! NO! it couldn't be that newborn! It was so easily dealt with back there. How could this be possible?

Steps echoed through the silent cavern, throughout every passage around. It sent a foreign feeling throughout her body. Was she afraid? NO! She was a warrior of the Queen! Not some worm that groveled. With this, she reached into herself and called the power she was blessed with and forced herself up.

Looking up, she saw him standing just a few steps away from her. When had he gotten so close? His face was shadowed by his headwear but the glow of his ruby eyes shown through. Calling her glaive to her hands, she launched forward, determined to finish the job this time.

Feet were swallowed up in seconds as she lunged at him, only to veer out of the way as a short blade was aimed at her face, causing her to duck and launch backwards to avoid the second blade attached to the other end of his weapon.

Taking the chance, she got a better look at his weapon. It wasn't the cane he used earlier, it was a sword with a shorter blade at the bottom of the hit facing inwards instead. It was a long, thin and curved blade with a guard along the handle. Despite the simplistic nature of the weapon, she paid dearly for underestimating the cane he used. She could still feel the phantom pain from the way it eviscerated her insides as it changed forms.

"A wise woman once said "A corpse should be left well alone" and I agree," His calm voice echoed through the cave, "They should be left alone. But I have to say this," the more he talked the more the pressure rose, "You should make sure the corpse is dead." With that the sound of clashing metal rung through the air as his blade became two.

This weapon was a master crafted killing tool. It held no hidden tricks like the cane, where it would turn into a bladed whip. No, this was just a blade that could become two and one with mere ease. Nothing was hidden, for there was nothing to hide.

He vanished and her world was soon filled with pain. Two gouges ran down across her chest, and she was sent back. He stood where she was with his blades in the air from his attack. As he lowered his blades, he slowly walked to her. Was he mocking her? He had paid once already for his arrogance, and she wouldn't hesitate to do so again.

He was in front of her in a split second without any indication, swinging his long blade towards her right and the short one towards her left. Taking a step back. she swung her glaive down to intercept him, only to find her attack blocked by the two blades crisscrossing. Her opponent wasn't letting her interference stop him, as he turned his rush into a slide as he dove between her legs and cut her heels as he slid through.

Losing her balance, she stabbed her glaive into the ground as she forced herself to pole-vault away from him so she could heal the tendons in her legs. She would be at a disadvantage if they weren't healed as fast, and battling would aggravate them as they healed, leaving her even more vulnerable.

But her opponent wasn't giving her that chance, as he appeared in front of her with a brutal front kick. Her world was filled with pain as she was sent through at least two walls into another passage. He wasn't showing any hesitation to get her away from the insect and girl. Feeling her heels recover, she stood ready for more combat, though she did notice her healing was slowing down. Her wounds from earlier were taking a toll on her regenerative abilities, she had to end this soon.

The sound of steps broke her thoughts as her opponent made his way through the hole. The pressure he was releasing was immense, and the longer this fight went on, the heavier it got. She refused to die here to this no name fool. Reaching into herself, she called upon all her power, and the very world began to shake and tremble as it tried to restrict it; for the curse of the Gods refused to let her do as she pleased without a fight.

Her opponent wasn't sitting idly by either. He was calling upon his own power, and the world was trembling far more. The dungeon creaked and groaned in what seemed like agony as his power rose.

Soon, a wailing agony filled the air as the dungeon screamed in pain from their might, and that was the signal they needed; they rushed towards each other.

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Sighing was a common occurrence for Loki lately, as she sat at a massive table in the makeshift meeting hall under the guild. Various gods sat in accordance as well. She was pretty sure every god in Orario was here or arriving.

"A Vali for your thoughts Loki?" a sensual voice spoke next to her. She didn't need to look to recognize who it was; it was Freya. She knew Freya had some idea on what was going on, but was keeping quiet to enjoy the show.

"You know what I'm thinking about." She said with sass, turning to her. For once, Freya was covered up under a cloak; she usually wore very little to events, regardless of the situation. Even in a cloak, Freya was a beautiful woman, with long silver hair that complimented her snow white skin and lavender eyes. Along with a figure (she was totally not jealous of), she was among the most beautiful of the gods and goddesses. "The timing is strange. Right after the previous meeting, one of those Monsters starts acting up." She might have exaggerated a bit, since the meeting was a week ago, but her point was valid.

"That's true. The Great Ones usually keep to themselves unless their lairs are found." If there's one thing Loki respected about Freya, it was her knowledge and ability to use it. She may act like a seductress and smooth talker, but behind that pretty face was a war goddess that knew and coveted the power of knowledge. When it came to serious matters, she was the one to have a plan that they could rely on. Though, her plans had some way to benefit herself in long or short run. "But this one is a bit too high in the dungeon to be normal. The Slayers should have found and routed this one out a long time ago."

"Slayers? Who are they?" Spoke a young voice. Turning behind her, she saw Hestia and Hephaestus standing behind her. Was she seriously asking who they were? But Hestia should have heard of- ah she forgot Hestia only descended recently.

"Sit down and we'll explain. I thought Hephaestus told you but she must have forgotten." Loki said, spotting the twitch as the mentioned goddess looked away. When they were seated next to her, she continued. "The Slayers are a special Familia you could say. They are formed from members of various Familias in Orario, while still retaining their allegiances to said Familais. They are the cream of the crop, formed for the sole purpose of hunting down and exterminating any discovered Great Ones." She took a moment for the shrimp to take it all in. "They answer to Ouranos when they are summoned."

"But hang on!" Hestia yelled slamming the table, "How can Adventurers fight those monsters? They are said to rival us at our full power!"

She had a point. Just like Gods, Great Ones varied in strength with some supposedly rivaling the chief deities.

"That's true" she admitted, "but there's two reasons as to why they can fight Great Ones." She held up a closed fist and raised a finger "The first is because of the Curse all the gods that descend unofficially agree upon." Knowing Hestia would ask she continued on. "The Curse is a spell that combines the powers of every God, and creates a curse on the Great Ones that appear on the planet. It weakens them considerably, and they are forced to take refuge in the Dungeon where the curse weakens. It's why there's a rule forbidding the use of our arcana; our arcana feeds the curse and using it can disrupt the spell. That's why it's forbidden." Raising a second finger she continued, not caring if Hestia was having trouble following. "The second and final is that they are given a boost of sorts to enable them to fight on a more even playing field." She hoped that was it because it seemed like the meeting was about to start.

Hestia was silenced as everyone turned to Ouranos sitting on his seat. The old man sat with his hood shadowing his face, but she knew his elderly mug was still the same. But before he could say anything, a wail erupted. It was so loud, it stunned the all the gods. It was a wail of something under the utmost agonizing pain alive.

As the Gods recovered from the scream, Loki's mind was racing. She knew Freya's was as well, and was hoping she had an idea on what that scream was from.

"The Dungeon…" She turned her head so fast she thought she might get whiplash, as she turned to Ouranos. "The Dungeon is in agony…" it was then the earth started to tremble as a familiar power was felt deep below.

It was the power of a Great One, but not just one but two. And they were clashing…

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The world trembled as the two fought. Their weapons clashed and shockwaves tore through the air. This was a battle bell rarely fought, through skill rather than the raw strength or instinct his usual quarry used.

This Great One fought with the skill of a warrior rather than a rabid beast. Her strikes were made with the intent to impale and debilitate him, just as his were meant to cleave and cripple her. It was a dance of death and the one to misstep would find them impaled on the other end of the others weapon.

But even then she was wearing down faster than he was. Wounds that would heal in seconds were taking minutes. Her attacks were slowly becoming desperate as she kept making more and more desperate swings and jabs.

He could smell it in the air, the fear that sprouted in her heart was taking her over as she realized a true predator was in front of her and she was the prey. The way her eye was swiveling all over as she began to panic was a sign for the turning of this fight and he couldn't wait.

She dared to threaten what was his and she would pay for that.

Dodging her weapon he noticed it didn't retract back to its owner. Turning to her he saw her running away.

Well that wouldn't do at all.

Slipping past, over and under anything in his way he followed her dragging his blades across the ground. The grating sound was bouncing off the walls striking fear into her heart. He could smell the desperation from her as her fear rose. Oh this chase is so much fun. Never had he been on the other end of a hunt, where he was the big bad monster. It was so exhilarating.

Gaining distance on her she slashed out her tendons in her legs and watched as her terrified running became even more desperate with the limp she now gained. Deciding that wasn't enough he stabbed her in the back

The chase wasn't going anywhere she he took his time and surveyed the surroundings. The walls lived and breathe as if they were the veins in one's body or the flesh of ones organs as they churned away.

Eventually he stumbled upon his quarry. Desperately clawing away at a dead end, like that would help her escape.

Slowly creeping up to her uncaring of her state he stared at her pitiful form. Her once proud demeanor now laid low and abandoned in her desire to live. It sickened him. All that bravado, all that arrogance and she runs once the fight gets too much for her. Did he have the benefit to do the same when he was in over his head fighting Great Ones and other enemies in the dream?

No. he didn't.

Walking up uncaring if she noticed or not, he pulled back his arm and rammed it through her back into her chest. Grabbing what he believed to be her heart he tore it out soaking himself in a spray of blood.

The shriek the Great One released as her life faded rang through his ears. Her body began to fall to dust like a sand slipping through ones hands. It was a site that he had witnesses many times before, and one that he would continue if his instincts were right.

Once the remains of his opponent faded he looked to his hand that once held her heart. In it was a red tear shaped gem that was glistening with flickering lights. At the bottom and top it was covered with crystal leaves of sorts.

It was a trophy of sorts yet its existence told him what he needed to know.

"I was afraid of this…" he muttered to himself as he turned around and walked back to the girl and Doll. With just the sounds of his footsteps as the only companion in his trek back.

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A/N: So Ch3 is done. It also has the first fight scene I've ever written for a story, so they might be a bit cringe.

This closes what I'd like to call the Introduction arc. It basically introduces a lot of the characters I plan to use a lot. I might add another main character, but it's not confirmed.

Though, I hopefully got two of the points I wanted to express regarding Bell and his nature. I'll PM you or reply in the chats (if this is in SpaceBattles) to any comments/questions (provided I can).

I'm not gonna lie, I probably will go back and edit this because I'm a little bit unsatisfied, but this was the best that I could write regarding this chapter.

Though this brings up a big thing regarding my fic.

I hate to say this but it's going on a slight Hiatus. At the moment I have a basic layout for it so I'll hopefully be writing it a lot sooner than the hiatus implies.

This is something that has been unfortunately creeping up on the story since I started writing it.

I have no idea on what I'm doing. I have a slight end goal in mind, but no idea on how to get to it or how I want it done. I've been writing it on impulse as it were. And I don't want to string people along regarding a half assed plot that I barely thought of.

So, I'm gonna take a break regarding this fic and try to work out a workable plot for the fic. This way, I have an actual lead on stuff instead of just pulling it out of nowhere.

It's not gonna be abandoned, so I will return to this. At the moment I have a basic layout for it so I'll hopefully be writing it a lot sooner than the hiatus implies.

Thanks for reading and have a good day.


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